The spot on Jefferson Avenue was occupied by a Quizno's before Casablanca Bistro opened. / Jess Heugel/For the News-Leader

Casablanca Bistro has a casual decor, brightened up by movie and music posters. / Jess Heugel/For the News-Leader

When Casablanca Bistro on Jefferson Avenue opened, Paula Kraeger knew she had to try it. She knows the owners, but it’s really the food that keeps bringing her back. “If the food wasn’t good, we wouldn’t be back — no matter what,” she says.

Paula's Take

Paula goes to church with Richard Johnson, the owner, and she loves supporting his business. Casablanca Bistro also has what she calls a pleasant atmosphere. She loves bringing her grandson.

The varied menu is quite expansive, and Paula’s tried quite a bit of it. Burritos, sandwiches, pasta, pizza — in her opinion, it’s all great. “I go through phases,” she says. “Now I’m back on sandwiches.”

When she’s in a pasta phase, though, Paula loves Casablanca’s marinara sauce and the breadsticks that come with the dish. “The pizza’s great, too,” she tells me.

Today, she decides on the Casablanca Club ($4.99), but she adds something extra: guacamole (50 cents). “I love it!” she says of the creamy guacamole. Paula can’t do onions, so she’s learned to add guacamole to her sandwiches for more flavor.

The Casablanca Club features ham, turkey, beef, mayonnaise and cheddar cheese. “You can load down your sandwiches,” she says. Paula enjoys choosing her bread — wheat — and her veggies. Paula savors all of the meat on the sandwich. “I called it a meat sandwich,” she says of the first time she tried it. “That’s why I love it.”

Casablanca Bistro recently opened on Sunday, and Paula enjoys heading there after church for a pasta dish and a side salad. “It’s more than enough,” she says of the large meal.

Katie's Take

I’m downtown often, so I’ve visited Casablanca Bistro before, and I noticed immediately that I could get good food for not a lot of cash. Downtown boasts several spots to get tacos, pizzas and sandwiches, but nowhere other than Casablanca Bistro can I get all three. I’ve tried the restaurant’s fajitas — those were basic, but good — and their sandwiches. My children enjoyed their pizza when I brought them.

The casual, eclectic décor features movie and music posters, and the bright colors keep my eyes busy while I’m eating. Today, I’m tempted to get the pizza — it looks great — but like Paula, I decide on a sandwich. I get the southwest chicken ($8.49 for a 12-inch sandwich), and for my bread, I choose flatbread. The southwest chicken features bacon, chicken, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo. I load it up with onions, tomato, lettuce, cucumbers and green onions. Next time I’ll have to add guacamole, because Paula’s looks great.

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The sandwich itself is huge, and I’m only able to eat half. I can’t help but drool over the insane amount of crispy, salty bacon, and there’s enough chicken, too. The chipotle mayo and pepper jack cheese give it a kick without being overwhelming. I find the flatbread to be soft and fresh.

My sandwich is so overloaded with veggies that I don’t worry too much about my excessive consumption of delicious bacon.

I enjoy sea salt and cracked pepper potato chips with my sandwich, and they have more than enough pepper flavor. Salt is great on chips, but pepper is even better.

The Dish, the Restaurant

Server Tony Munsell says Casablanca’s owner, Richard Johnson, opened the bistro last February. Even though he teaches at Missouri State University, he’s always looking for a new challenge. He frequented the Quizno’s that was in the space before Casablanca Bistro, and when the Quizno’s owner offered to sell it to Johnson, he went for it. “Richard decided he wanted a new challenge and decided to open a restaurant,” Munsell says.

Johnson’s love of old movies inspired the restaurant’s theme, and so far, business has been going pretty well, especially now that the college students are back from summer break.

Though downtown visitors can get a sandwich, salad or pizza at several joints, Munsell says Casablanca Bistro’s appeal is easily its low price point and laid-back but decorated atmosphere. “The whole atmosphere is set back in time,” he says, “and the people who work here are nice and friendly.”

The Casablanca Club can come on whole wheat, white or flatbread. “During lunch, we’re most famous for our subs,” Munsell says. He attributes the popularity of the subs to the large selection of meats, including ground beef and Italian sausage. Customers can also choose from six different cheeses.

I’m not the only person who loves the southwest chicken sandwich. “That’s probably our most famous sub,” Munsell says. “It all just goes together.” Though Casablanca Bistro doesn’t make its own chipotle sauce, Munsell says they do make their ranch dressing in house.

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Though Paula and I didn’t try the pizza, it’s a popular dish at Casablanca. The restaurant offers seven and 12-inch thin and hand-tossed pizzas. The most popular, Munsell says is the Pepperoni Junkie, which has two times the pepperoni of a typical pepperoni pizza. Customers also enjoy the Mediterranean pizza, which features alfredo sauce, spinach, mozzarella cheese, chicken and black olives and is covered in feta cheese.

Munsell suggests that people come and check out the restaurant’s flavors for themselves. “Just come on down and have a good time,” he says.

Pizza, sandwiches, pasta, salad, Mexican food — you’ve got a good shot at pleasing the entire family at Casablanca Bistro.

Our Guest: Paula Kraeger

Age: 69

Occupation: Retired

Dish nominated: The Casablanca Club

Quote: “I enjoy the food. There hasn’t been a thing I’ve tried that I wouldn’t have again.”